Brief Profile of the Institute :-

University of Kashmir instituted a chair in 1977 in the name of the poet-Philosopher of the East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Later on in 1979, it was converted into a full-fledged research Institute and was renamed as “Iqbal Institute”. Prof. Ale-Ahmad Suroor became the founder director of the Institute. Recently Iqbal Institute was again renamed as Iqbal Institute of Culture & Philosophy. Iqbal Institute of Culture & Philosophy is an interdisciplinary research Institute. The Institute admits students from various disciplines like Urdu, Persian, Arabic, English, Islamic studies, Philosophy, Education, Sociology, Political Science and Kashmiri literature etc. So far 140 candidates have completed their M.Phil and PhD degrees on various dimensions of Iqbal’s thought and art through this Institute.

The Institute is having a very rich library, which is equipped with a diverse and selective collection of rare books on Iqbal Studies and its allied disciplines. Seminars and Conferences have all along been a regular feature of this Institute. Every year seminars on various topics are held in which scholars from different Universities and other centres of learning are invited to participate and present their papers and deliver lectures. So far more than 111 seminars and conferences including national level seminars have been organised, which have been highly appreciated in the academic circles of the country and abroad.

          The Institute brings out a yearly research journal “Iqbaliyat” and has so far published more than seventy eight books and monographs in Urdu, English, and Hindi, which have been well received in the academic and literary circles of the sub-continent.

Vision

Our vision is to develop a special and comprehensive understanding of Allama Iqbal’s multidimensional thought and art vis-à-vis Indian legacy of culture, philosophy and literature among its learners and researchers. Our main endeavour is to generate a society of holistic development by dint of a good knowledge base in Iqbalian philosophy of universality, humanity and social ethics.

Mission

Our mission is to facilitate academic and research studies in the Institute at various levels of academic programmes with proper infrastructure and competent teaching faculty.We offer accredited academic programme of Ph.D. and Open Elective Courses to PG students within our university relating to Iqbal Studies, comparative literature/philosophy. The institute is intending to launch likely a PG Diploma Course in Iqbal Studies and Philosophy.

Forum

Conferences, seminars and workshops are a regular feature at our Institute. These provide an opportunity for students, researchers and experts in multiple disciplines to discuss the important issues relating to Iqbal studies and comparative literature and philosophy. Most of the research papers read in such conference/workshops are published by the Institute in seminar proceedings or its annual peer review journal Iqbaliyat.

Library

We have a rich library in our Institute comprising collections relating to philosophy, culture, literature, religion, social science besides Iqbal Studies. The number has almost reached to 12291. It is worth to mention that some encyclopaedias and full file of Iqbal Review (English) Iqbaliyat (Urdu) is available in the library. All these collections are digitalized by the central library of the university and digital information about them is available through it.

Facilities

We offer high standard amenities such as AC reading rooms, computers, internal access to our researchers. The guest scholars/ faculty outside the valley is provided proper accommodation as per the university rules.

Projects

The Institute usually encourages short term/projects taken by its faculty in addition to their routine teaching work. Furthermore, occasionally the Visiting Faculty/Guest Faculty also take-up minor academic projects in the Institute.

Future Plans

1. Launching of one year PG Diploma Course in Iqbal Studies and Philosophy